Healthy Fall Recipes

When the air is crisp and the leaves start to fall, you'll love recipes that showcase the season's best flavors. The smell of apples and pumpkin spice might be in the air, but it's fall recipes we're craving. These fresh autumn recipes feature the best of fall flavor and produce. Savory sides, fruity desserts, and all things warm and cozy combine to make us crave fall recipes like crazy. Plan your perfect fall menu this weekend, and dig in.

When the air is crisp and the leaves start to fall, you'll love recipes that showcase the season's best flavors. The smell of apples and pumpkin spice might be in the air, but it's fall recipes we're craving. These fresh autumn recipes feature the best of fall flavor and produce. Savory sides, fruity desserts, and all things warm and cozy combine to make us crave fall recipes like crazy. Plan your perfect fall menu this weekend, and dig in.

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September 13, 2012

1 of 40Photo: Greg DuPree

Autumn Glow Salad

It's time to settle in with warm and comforting recipes that are bursting with the fresh flavors we all love this time of year. Sweet potatoes, apples, sage, cinnamon, and cider–there's something here to satisfy all of your autumnal cravings.

This plant-powered salad delivers over 50% of your daily fiber and one-third of your daily potassium goal. Butternut squash is an excellent source of eye-healthy vitamin A and a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C and blood pressure–supporting potassium.

Butternut-Cauliflower Coconut Curry

A range of textures—crunchy peas, tender vegetables, and silky coconut broth—makes this cool-weather main incredibly satisfying. The chickpea mixture can also be a delicious gluten-free snack: After baking, toss with a little kosher salt, ground cumin, and ground red pepper. Serve with Cilantro-Chile Couscous.

Skillet Apple Chicken Thighs

This dish is perfect for easing into fall and comes together in one pan to boot. Vastly underrated thighs are rich and moist, perfect for stewing, grilling, or searing. This dish also works beautifully with pork chops—a twist that's weeknight-fast yet fit for company and makes us simply giddy for fall. Sub 4 (6-ounce) bone-in pork chops for the chicken thighs, searing 5 minutes on each side. Like the thighs, the chops will finish cooking in the apple mixture.

Hasselback Apples

Simple and easy to make ahead—this twist on the apple crumble is unbelievably good. With cinnamon-sugar butter between the layers, a crispy streusel sprinkle, and a dollop of ice cream on top, there’s no doubt this will be a hit with your friends and family.

Chicken and Gnocchi Dumpling Soup

Homey and hearty chicken and dumplings has never been faster or easier, thanks to store-bought gnocchi. Browned bits from the seared chicken thighs create a rich base for the soup. Frozen green peas cook instantly, keep well, and add a fresh, springy note to any dish any time of the year.

Microwaving the potatoes gets them tender in minutes; roasting gets them the crispy edge we love. One package of poultry herbs includes just enough fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, while packages of single herbs tend to spoil before they're used.

Whole Stuffed Roasted Pumpkin

In this recipe, pumpkin plays a triple role: cooking vessel, serving bowl, and part of the meal itself. Choose a Long Island Cheese pumpkin for its creamy flesh or a Cinderella pumpkin. The hearty stew simmers inside the pumpkin while the flesh cooks and softens. Berbere, a peppery Ethiopian spice blend, richly seasons the pumpkin and stew. Find it at specialty markets or online at penzeys.com.

White Bean & Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs

This easy bowl of brothy goodness is loaded with both veggies and umami depth—it's comfort food you can feel good about. It's also great for times when the food budget is tight, as it costs only about $11 for 4 servings.

Quick Chicken Minestrone

Fresh, brightly colored vegetables add some welcome vibrancy to this comforting soup. Have fun with the noodle shape, or use any small pasta you have on hand. If you'd like, sprinkle each serving with freshly ground black pepper for a finishing touch. Let the toasted bread and cheese sauce cool slightly. Kids can then spread the cheese sauce over the bread with a butter knife. Serve with French Bread with Cauliflower Cheese Sauce.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Carrots

A full-plate dinner simmers to saucy, savory perfection in the slow cooker. To end up with super-succulent pork, don't overcook the chops in the pan before adding to the slow cooker. Just a couple of minutes per side will be enough to achieve nice color. Using bone-in center cut pork chops results in a juicier, more flavorful dish. With just 25 minutes of active prep time, you can throw dinner together in the morning and come home to a comforting meal of tender pork and vegetables for supper. To speed up prep, opt for presliced mushrooms, carrots, and onion.

Roasted Kabocha and Kale Salad

Kobocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin, is the sweeter cousin of the pumpkin. The vivid orange flesh of this winter squash is tender and rich, with a flavor reminiscent of a sweet potato. While the shell is very hard when raw, it becomes very tender when cooked, making peeling optional. It's wonderful here, dressed with olive oil, coriander seeds, pepper, and salt.

Pumpkin Soup Three Ways

Even without the added cream, pumpkin soup takes on a velvety texture after it's simmered and pureed. Make sure all the ingredients are very tender so they'll blend together smoothly. We start with a base recipe, then tweak it to create 2 more soups, each with a different flavor makeup. Simple toppings like salty-sweet pepitas or chorizo make them a little more special. For a fun, no-fuss garnish, top any of the soups with 2 tablespoons popped popcorn. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, if desired.

Chicken-Poblano Tortilla Soup

Chilly evenings call for a comforting soup with a bit of restorative kick and plenty of vibrant toppings. Top with tortilla chips, or make your own crispy tortilla strips as shown. Cut 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas into 1/2-inch strips and bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Crush halve the strips for the soup and garnish with the rest. Make these ahead and store in a zip-top bag at room temperature for a day or two. Poblano peppers range in heat; add cooling avocado or crushed red pepper as needed.

Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup

The slow cooker gently coaxes out delicious flavors from simple, hearty ingredients. This soup is perfect for ushering in fall: It's hearty enough for the beginning of soup season, yet brothy and veggie-packed so that it doesn't feel too heavy. Pair it with a slaw or kale side salad and crusty whole-grain bread for a light, satisfying dinner. This recipe is ideal for a weekend, when you can check on the slow cooker after just a few hours; though you won't be able to leave the soup unattended all day, this still offers the benefit of hands-free, fuss-free cooking. Either baby red, Yukon Gold, or fingerling potatoes will work well here, as they'll maintain their shape nicely during cooking.

Ciabatta French Toast with Warm Apple Maple Syrup

Moist yet crusty bread and nutty Gruyère cheese set this French toast recipe apart from more traditional varieties. A vegetable peeler works great for getting thin slices out of the cheese. For the apples, Rome or Fuji varieties would also work.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots

When did the lowly sprout become a side dish superstar? This was a happy turn of events: It's a flavor-packed veggie that is both meaty and pleasingly bitter when sautéed or roasted, perfect for pairing with smoky bacon in this fall favorite recipe.

Poached Pears

With minimal effort, you can have a delicious and festive fall dessert on the table that is dressed to impress with a dollop of creamy yogurt. Spoon a bit of the cooking liquid over the pear for a tasty finishing touch.

Potato-Apple Latkes

These sweet-savory pancakes get irresistibly crisp from pan-frying. Keep cooked latkes warm in a 200° oven as you prepare the next batch. Serve with a dollop of fat-free sour cream if you want a tangy adornment.

Honey-Baked Black Mission Figs with Orange and Ginger

Fresh fall figs should be available this time of year but, if you can't find them, try the dessert with dried figs: Place 24 small stemmed, halved dried figs in a large saucepan with 3/4 cup fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla; bring to a simmer. Simmer 3 minutes; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes.

Bucatini with Mushrooms

A large assortment of mushrooms, including luxurious dried porcinis, is the key to the huge earthy fall flavor of this dish. It's meatless, but you'd never know it with all the savory flavor of mushrooms, Parmesan, and truffle oil. A generous splash of cream gives the sauce its luscious texture.